Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

CTK Photo/Roman Vondrous

Which country is buying the most iPhones? (Hint: It's not the US)

Apple’s home turf is selling a lot of iPhones – but not enough to topple the current champ.

APPLE IS EXPECTED to announce that it has sold more iPhones in China than the US during 2014.

Increased availability, thanks to a deal with China’s biggest telecom provider, and strong sales of the iPhone 6 allowed it to reach this turning point, according to the Financial Times.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said he expected China to overtake the US as Apple’s single largest source of revenue back in 2013. At the end of that year, Apple struck a deal with China Mobile to bring its collection of iPhones to the market.

Before then, it had relied on smaller carriers to sell iPhones, but striking a deal with a carrier that has an estimated 760 million subscribers and deal with increased competition from lower-cost Android devices.

While the iPhone has performed well in China, the market is still dominated by lower-priced devices.

Chinese company Xiaomi is the biggest company there, having sold 61.1 million handsets and bringing in a total of €10.1 billion in revenue in 2014. The company has been accused of copying Apple in the design of its smartphones and tablets, and Apple’s chief designer Jony Ive calling the similarities “theft” and “lazy”.

Apple’s biggest rival, Samsung, had a less than perfect 2014 as its profits stumbled. It decided to cut the number of devices it makes by up to a third, focusing more on quality.

Apple will hold its earnings call for the latest quarter tomorrow.

Read: Hackers claiming to support Islamic State have done this to Malaysia Airlines >

Read: Weird Wide Web: Invisible boyfriends, reckless Snapchats and what it’s like to have your life stolen online >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
10 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ariana
    Favourite Ariana
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 12:40 PM

    This maybe linked to the fact that China has way more people. Just a thought.

    155
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cholly appleseed
    Favourite cholly appleseed
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 12:44 PM

    Correct. Madness that a country with four times the population buys more phones…

    78
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Lyons
    Favourite James Lyons
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 12:46 PM

    I’m sure the US is still way ahead of any other country with iPhones sold per capita

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robert Cummins
    Favourite Robert Cummins
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 1:35 PM

    The most populous country in the world coupled with the fact the Chinese love there gadgets I would have never even considered another country to be the top iphone buyers.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Harvey Specter
    Favourite Harvey Specter
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 12:46 PM

    They pretty much has the same customer base as hello kitty from what I can see .

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gravel Pitt
    Favourite Gravel Pitt
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 12:46 PM

    Do you guys work hard – to miss the point?

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Monika Tupa
    Favourite Monika Tupa
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 2:06 PM

    And maybe doesn’t cost as much as here.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Random_paddy
    Favourite Random_paddy
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 2:40 PM

    Still at least 5000 yuan / 700 euros. Silly money. Sure you’d get a better spec android for half that.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robert Cummins
    Favourite Robert Cummins
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 3:47 PM

    One thing I have learned traveling poor countries is that the price of electronics never changes. When they look at the price of an Iphone in a shop it most be like us looking at a brand new Ferrari.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute trickytrixster
    Favourite trickytrixster
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 2:11 PM

    Ireland

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Garvey
    Favourite Kevin Garvey
    Report
    Jan 26th 2015, 12:59 PM

    I taught china would be there home turf seen as they are made there,,

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds